New year, new life. This is how it is for some riders this year in MotoGP with the team change impacting their performance, while others, although in the same environment, are excelling and others… not so much.
If it is already certain and known that some continue to stand out, it is important to understand the differences that exist, in reality, between where they are currently compared to where they were last year.
Let’s start with some names that have had more impact in the current season, with Jorge Martín – the championship leader – currently having accumulated 129 points, while at the same time last year he had 80, a positive balance of 49, practically equivalent to winning two Sunday races.
And the current reigning champion Pecco Bagnaia? It is true that the factory Ducati Italian has consistency as one of his greatest allies and proof of that is the 91 points he has accumulated this year, three less, however, than last year.
And what about Marc Márquez, who made the biggest move in the market and left his lifelong team in MotoGP, with which he has won numerous titles? If there were any doubts, they are definitely overcome: #93 has 77 more points now than he had last year, as he totals 89, compared to the 12 he had in 2023.
One of the other standout names in the championship is Maverick Viñales, the first non-Ducati on the list, with 81 points so far, compared to 49 last year, thus having a positive balance of 32. His teammate Aleix Espargaró also has nine more points (from 42 to 51).
Brad Binder is one of those who is in the “low mood”, with 14 fewer points added so far (81 to 67).
And Marco Bezzecchi, third in the 2023 standings at the end of the World Championship? The Italian has 57 fewer points, having so far scored 36 and is even behind his teammate, Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team, in the standings: Fabio Di Giannantonio has 47 points, 22 more than in 2023.
The “big” winner in this list is Enea Bastianini, who was injured in the 2023 Portuguese GP and is now fourth in the overall standings with 89 points and is therefore someone to consider in this year’s calculations, in a season where he fights to keep his place in the factory team, where Martín and Márquez are the main candidates for his place.
Also note Miguel Oliveira who with 21 points scored in 2023, where he missed two rounds due to injury (out of five), currently has 23 points, a positive balance of two points.
Another highlight but new in this category is Pedro Acosta: the Spanish rookie is sixth in the standings with 73 points.
